Description
Long Lane Woods is old woodland, shown on Thomas Bainbridge's map of Croydon of 1800. The area remained unaltered although the surrounding fields have been replaced by houses and gardens. The land was in the ownership of F E Lloyd and was purchased in 1924 by Croydon Corporation for public open space. Part of the woodland, which is predominantly oak, has been fenced off as a bird sanctuary.
Practical Information
| Site location | Long Lane, Addiscombe |
|---|---|
| Postcode | CR0 7TE |
| What3Words | ///sober.pine.tolls |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Partially |
| Opening Times | Open access except for the bird sanctuary, which is closed to the public |
| Public Transport | Rail: East Croydon then tram. Tramlink: Route 2, Arena |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ355675 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 6.07 |
| Site Ownership | LB Croydon |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | old woodland, purchased 1924 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance II |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
South Norwood Country Park was created in 1987 on land in the north east of the borough, originally used for agriculture as well as pottery and brickworks. Old maps show there may have been an C18th moated site near the open stream. From 1862 it became Croydon Corporation's sewage farm, with land acquired in a piecemeal fashion until as late as 1951. The sewage works closed in 1967 and the filter beds were dismantled to ground level. The new Country Park sought to preserve the wetlands and developed new meadowlands on areas that had previously been tipped.
Ashburton Park is a municipal park created on the site of an C18th park; the original mansion was built in 1788 but was largely demolished in 1927. Croydon Corporation purchased the site in 1924 and it was first used as a putting green but this was abandoned after a decline in use and it was subsequently re-opened as a public park.
Woodside Green is a traditional village green, now divided into 3 parts by roads. References to the old hamlet date back to 1662 and the Green is shown on the Croydon Inclosure Map of 1800. In 1870 the north-east part was proposed as a site for a new church but local pressure opposed this and in 1871 the land was granted to Croydon Local Board of Health on condition it was 'forever kept as an open space'. In 1888 the adjacent Poplar Farm was acquired and its land later added to the Green. The Green retains a stone cattle and horse trough, and is bounded by post and rail fencing. The layout has only altered from the late C19th to accommodate road widths and the War Memorial now located at the apex of the Green.